Warning: Spoilers ahead forDoctor Whoseason 15, episode 2, “Lux.“Doctor Whoseason 15, episode 2,“Lux,” continues the self-referential nature of Ncuti Gatwa’s time as the Fifteenth Doctor, and it does so during a scene that has already had its fourth wall well and truly shattered. TheDoctor Whoseason 15 castgains some interesting new cast members for one very interesting sequence in “Lux,” and it allows the show (and the Doctor) to essentially communicate with the show’s following. During this exchange, one of the trio of meta characters utters a line that acknowledges the spoilers that have leaked online.
Thescene with the fans in “Lux"is a mind-bending experience. In an episode where the main villain is a new member ofDoctor Who’s Pantheonin the form of a cartoon character, it’s surprising that season 15’s second installment managed to get any trippier at all. WhileAlan Cumming’s Mr. Ring-a-Ding/Lux Imperatoris a fascinating aspect of the episode, theDoctor Whofans who meet the Time Lord and Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) quietly steal the show with how unusual their presence is.
Doctor Who Season 15 Drops A Very Meta Joke About Online Leaks
Doctor Whoisn’t immune to spoilers appearing online before the episodes have aired. In fact, the show often makes a habit of announcing certain twists in advance, such aswho will play the next Doctorwhile another actor is still in the role. However, many of the bigger storylines remain closely guarded until the time is right. Unfortunately,the surprise factor forDoctor Whoseason 15 has been compromisedfor those who know where to look, and showrunner Russell T. Davies references those leaks in “Lux.”
“I knew this would happen because it leaked online. #RIPDOCTORWHO.”
- Robyn in Doctor Whoseason 15, episode 2, “Lux.”
When the Doctor and Belinda emerge from the TV, Lizzie and Hassan are overwhelmed by their presence, after only ever knowing them as fictional characters. Robyn, on the other hand, isn’t surprised. Instead, she simply says she knew it was going to happen because of online leaks. I saw a few of these leaks by accident, but I didn’t know or trust how accurate they were, nor did I see anything about this weird scene in “Lux.” Maybe the information was available somewhere, but I think, here,Davies is essentially saying: “You didn’t knowthiswas coming though, did you?”
It Feels Like Doctor Who Wants You To Be More Like Lizzie & Hassan
Robyn’s friends get to witness the big “Lux” twist as it was intended
As smug and negative as Lizzie behaves, she’s still aDoctor Whofan. However, she robbed herself of the joy of a left turn that would have been impossible to predict. Inversely,Lizzie and Hassan just seem thrilled to be along for the ride. As such, the show is quietly guiding viewers to engage with the show like them, not like Robyn. For those who haven’t connected withDoctor Whoas much lately, it may be tempting to seek out spoilers to see what’s to come, but doing so only ruins any possibility of being caught off-guard.
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“The Story and the Engine”
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